| Chapter 12 Esau's Story II In the chapter on Lot, I showed through scripture that Lot's sister, Abram's niece, married his brother, thereby making her his sister in law. Nahor and Milcah were Rebekah's grandparents, and it was Rebekah who became Isaac's wife. That would make them third cousins, if we consider Milcah his cousin or second cousins if we consider Milcah his aunt. Confusing, yes, but the point remains that the offspring of this union would be solid in the line of genealogy of Shem. This story of Isaac's search for Rebekah, and their wedding is told in Genesis 24. I won't include it here but only cite the reference. The name Esau is Esav in the Hebrew and Chaldee dictionary, and comes from the root asah, and can be defined between the two as bruise, be busy, fighting man, handling rough. Genesis 25:19-34 starts us forward on Esau's story. "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said if it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people, shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red 81 _______________________________________________________________________________ pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swear unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright." The name Edom is Edowm and means rosy, red, ruddy. The name Jacob means heel catcher, or from the root aqab, to circumvent as if tripping up the heels. Esau, we have been told in scripture wandered in the field, and Genesis 26:34-35 gives some idea as to how far afield. " And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebekah." Map 2 of the Standard Bible Atlas shows the Kingdom of the Hittites, after 1700 B. C., in Turkey around where Tubal settled, while it shows Hittite incursions all the way to Babylon around 1600 B. C.. A foot note also states that Indo-European Hittites invaded Asia Minor and conquered the aboriginal Proto-Hattians. Another footnote states that at Beycesultan, which was somewhere near present day Denizh in Turkey, and west of the borders of the Hittite Empire, excavations suggest that the area was inhabited by peoples related to the Greeks. They could have been Caphtorim or Javan descendents. Regardless, they were all related to Japheth. Hammond's Historical Atlas shows the Hittite empire as including Damascus. But, Isaac, his father in the verses preceding was shown to be living in Beersheba, due west of the southern edge of the Dead Sea. Esau probably wandered clear across Canaan to find his two Hittite brides. He seems to have been the rakish playboy of the family, caring only about his self interest. Genesis chapter 27 tells of the sealing of Esau's birthright deal with Jacob. "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of 82 _________________________________________________________________________________ |
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